Dirge of the Graveyard
by Merciless Angels Never Cry
Summary: Your time has come, little one. That was the deal and now you must offer up your soul... Merciless is back! Dark ficlet beware!


**Author's Note: **I'm back. This is just a short ficlet on Alice so enjoy.

* * *

Alice didn't feel right. Her stomach twisted and churned as bile slowly built itself up in her throat. Her eyes were closed, her head pounding as she lay on a cool, hard surface. Slowly opening her eyes her vision was blurred. Her eyelids stung as she clenched them when another pain entered her skull. She whimpered, gingerly kneeling upright and placing a gloved hand on her forehead. She sighed as the pain subsided and blinked several times in order to clear her vision.

The fog was heavy and thick, obscuring her view. Getting up she walked forward, her heels scuffing the stones. Little by little, she could see tall withered trees, their branches like long, mangled arms ready to grab her and rip her out, one small strip of flesh at a time. Alice's eyes darted from one tree to another. The air was heavy and dead, yet there was a cold that bit into her soft, vulnerable flesh. Alice wrapped her arms around herself and hugged herself, teeth chattering slightly.

"Is this…?" Alice whispered, her voice trailing off once she saw a large gravestone marked with the earth elemental symbol.

The Graveyard.

The place where a Harmonixer's soul stayed in constant limbo. Where those who were felled by those who were cursed with the ancient forbidden dark arts and stayed there for eternity. She could feel their Malice. The howls and chants of the otherworldly demons sliced her to the core and shook her very soul. Alice felt weary and her muscles ached. The she saw it. Saw them. Walking forward, she steeled herself as she stood before them. The Four Masks.

The Sword Mask bopped up and down in the air with excitement. "Ho ho ho ho," his sharp, high-pitched laugh scratched at Alice's eardrums, causing her small, innocent face to twist into a grimace. "The time has come human!"

The Grail Mask rattled in agreement. "Ho ho ho! Oh yes, a nice tasty little soul," it leered, its voice like gravel. "So sweet and unspoiled…"

Fear coiled itself around her, her heart seemed to stop beating as her blood turned cold. Her skin felt clammy as her lungs struggled to let out a steady breath. She shook her head, eyes clenched as she held her gloved hands to her breasts. "Not yet," she spoke softly, determined not to give in after all they had been through.

"That boy won't save you now!" the Gold Mask cackled as they started to approach her. Alice's hands covered her mouth to stifle a gasp. The heavy doors opened revealing a much larger mask, one she had seen only once before but still left her wake up at night with beads of sweat coming down off of her forehead. The pale, chalky complexion and its face was covered in in eyes: Atman, the Executioner.

Without thinking she ran. She saw another gate at the far side of the graveyard and she pushed her legs harder to reach it. Chains were wrapped around the bars and Alice thanked God that the lock was broken; she quickly slipped the chains off and threw them away. The gates gave out a loud shrill creak as she swung them open and went down the long set of steps, leading her to a part of the graveyard that she had never seen before. She stopped for a minute as she panted, staring in horror at what was before her. A large misty field, with lines upon lines of graves that seemed to span out forever, hundreds if not thousands of them. The dirge of the malicious souls cried louder, as figures came out from the mist. Bloodied Japanese soldiers limping towards her holding onto their rifles and mutilated bird men that were cawing as the clawed at the dirt. Cracked floating skulls accompanied scorched, headless naked women that spilt themselves in half to bite off a chunk of flesh and bone. Tears threatened to escape from Alice's eyes when she saw Li Li coughing up blood and letting out a manish moan. Dogs that stood on a human arm had their some pieces of their flesh and fur missing as the women that were hand standing and holding a long metallic pike piercing a brain laugh maniacally.

Alice could feel their Malice as she shuddered at the sight; the souls of those who were felled by Yuri and continued to haunt him. She couldn't stay here! She had to get out of this hellish nightmare and fast. She ran, faster and harder than she had before. As she turned a corner she screamed as a large ball of flesh with a baby on top of it that sloshed itself around raised its hand to hit her. She ducked swiftly and she continued to run, not daring to look back.

Her legs ached and her lungs threatened to cave in but she didn't stop. The Graveyard was like a macabre maze that seemed to have no end. She scrambled up another set of stares and pushed through the gates. When she turned to see where she was her heart sank as she saw the elemental gravestones and the opened door. She legs gave way as she crumpled onto the cold grass next to the dark gravestone. She sobbed heavily as she stared at the small white grave next to it.

_Rest in peace, Alice._

She slowly crawled onto it and she gently rested her head on the hard, freezing surface. She closed her eyes as she felt her sanity slip away slightly. Her entire body was drained and exhausted. She slumped further into the grass as she felt lighter and lighter. "Yuri…" she murmured, unable to move as the Four Masks and Atman hovered over her, chuckling darkly.

_I never got to tell him…_

* * *

Yuri opened his eyes, still heavy with sleep. He felt a small weight on his shoulder and he leaned in to nuzzle Alice's head, appreciating the nice aroma that tickled his nose, though he couldn't quite place whatever scented soap she used to wash her hair early this morning. A sly smirk graced his lips as he gently nudged her, "Alice?"

Nothing.

His smirk quickly disappeared as he felt her limp body lie heavily against him. "Alice?" he asked again, urgent this time yet still, she wouldn't respond. Her skin was cold and her expression peaceful. His entire world shattered as he began to realize what was happening. His lips trembled and tears quickly travelled their way down his cheeks as hi voice quivered, "Alice…"

Clenching his teeth, his forehead pressed against hers as heavy, loud sobs escaped his lips as his entire frame shuddered, grieving the loss of the woman he had ever loved.

* * *

_Yuri…_

_Yuri…?_

_Are you listening…?_

_If you can… I'd like to tell you something that I never got the chance to tell you. _

_I love you._

_For eternity and beyond._

_And Yuri…?_

_You made me so happy._

* * *

**Author's Note: **I dunno what drove me to do this, but I wanted to do something different, even though I'd like to believe that Alice died a peaceful death. Well anyways, thanks for reading and please review.


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